What is flagyl?
Flagyl® is the registered trademark of a synthetic medicine, which uses metronidazole as its active principle , a chemical compound belonging to the line of antiparasitic medicines to treat infections caused by parasites in the gastrointestinal tract .
To highlight: This pharmaceutical product is produced by the company named SANOFI-AVENTIS DE MEXICO SA DE CV (1)
What is flagyl used for?
- Thanks to the mechanism of action of its active ingredient, flagyl® acts on the proteins that transport electrons in the respiratory chain of anaerobic bacteria, and in other microorganisms it inhibits the synthesis of nucleic acids. This amebicidal, bactericidal and trichomonicidal action eliminates these microorganisms and relieves the symptoms of infections that may occur . (two)
- It is used to treat:
- Perioperative colonic infections and their prevention.
- Anaerobic bacterial infections, amoebiasis, giardiasis, vaginitis and trichomoniasis.
- Surgical infection prophylaxis.
Dosage and routes of administration of flagyl
The presentation of flagyl® is in tablets or tablets containing metronidazole 500 mg; in suspension in 125 mg/5 ml vial containing 4.0 g benzoyl metronidazole (equivalent to 250 mg metronidazole) and in 0.5% injectable solution in 100 ml minibag containing 500 mg metronidazole. The administration of this drug is orally or intravenously , as the case may be, and the dosage as a reference may be as follows:
- Trichomoniasis: Single dose of 2 g or treatment of one 500 mg tablet twice daily.
- Amoebiasis: Adults 500 to 750 mg orally three times a day; children 30 to 40 mg/kg/day orally, divided into three doses.
- Bacterial anaerobic infections: Adults 1 to 1.5 g per day divided into 2 or 3 intravenous infusions. Children 20 – 30 mg/kg/day divided into 2 or 3 intravenous infusions.
Flagyl Side Effects
Treatment with flagyl® may cause, in a certain patient population , some of the following adverse effects:
- Possible allergic reactions due to patient contact with any component of the drug.
- Epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea .
- Fever , malaise, tiredness, jaundice .
- Stevens Johnson syndrome , toxic epidermal necrolysis, or exanthematous pustulosis.
- Myopia, blurred vision and decreased visual acuity.
- Oral mucositis, taste disturbance and anorexia.
- reversible pancreatitis.
- Rash, pruritus, flushing, urticaria and angioedema.
- Peripheral sensory neuropathy.
- Headaches , seizures, dizziness, hallucinations , and mental confusion.
- Ataxia, dysarthria, gait impairment, nystagmus, and tremor.
- Agranulocytosis, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia.
Important: Discontinue use and inform your doctor if during treatment with this drug, any of these symptoms or any other not described in the list appear.
Contraindications and warnings of flagyl
The use of flagyl® is contraindicated in any of the following cases:
- Patient hypersensitivity to any of the components of the formula.
- In patients with Cockayne syndrome .
- During the first trimester of pregnancy.
- During breastfeeding .
You should know: Before starting treatment with this type of medication, the patient must provide all the information related to their health history to the treating physician.
Avoid if you have:
- History of hypersensitivity to drugs belonging to the imidazole family or to any of the drug’s excipients.
- History of blood dyscrasias or active disease of the central nervous system (CNS).
- History of Crohn ‘s disease, heart, kidney, or liver disease.
Warnings:
- Products such as flagyl® must be administered with prescription or medical prescription.
- Follow your doctor’s instructions during treatment with this drug.
- Do not exceed the dose prescribed by your doctor.
- Do not use this medicine if you are consuming drinks or medicines that contain alcohol.
- You should take into account that this medicine can cause some disorders in the CNS, therefore you should avoid driving vehicles or operating machinery.
- Keep this product out of the reach of children.
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.